Visit to Sierra Leone The 1991 to 2002 civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (over two thirds of the population), many of whom fled as refugees to neighbouring countries. The international community, the UN, and many Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are working to rebuild in many areas as some refugees return and those who remained rebuild their lives. The Methodist Church is playing a vital role as one or the primary service partners and is held in high esteem throughout the country, particularly in the Eastern areas. Aliens will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the Lord. You will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. Isaiah 61: 5-8 (NIV) I am trying to think of one word to describe this visit, but it is proving impossible. The passage from Isaiah reflects something of what I experienced as many organisations are working together in this beautiful and welcoming country. In travelling many miles, meeting so many people; from those in refugee camps, schools, churches, women s groups, NGOs I have seen sights so beautiful and so horrendous; heard tragic stories, yet full of hope and thanks to God, heard of longing for connections with other churches and schools in Britain, and so much more. Freetown A bustling, noisy, chaotic town of faded grandeur, burnt out buildings stand alongside old Creole wooden buildings, corrugated iron roofed, small businesses and larger concrete buildings. Methodist Church Sierra Leone (MCSL) rents out the first floor of its building to the E.U. This has meant that a new building has been found for some staff. The Development Officer, Mr Joe Ndanema and the Education Secretary, Mr T S Brima moved into these new premises in Wesley Street in October. The President, Rt Revd Francis Nabieu, remains in George Street with other Conference staff. In another part of the city, the MCSL compound houses a clinic, a newly opened training centre for women, and the headquarters of the Christian Council of Sierra Leone. The clinic has two nurses, supported by four AIDS counsellors
from the local community. The training centre has some sewing machines that they plan to use for income generating projects for women. One of the problems in creating such income generating projects is the need for each building to have its own generator, due to the inability of the electricity supply to function 24 hours a day. The Christian Council is the key body that engages with inter-religious issues 60% Muslim, 30% Christian, 10% other indigenous. Good relationships exist between all faiths. We (TS Brima, Education Secretary who was my guide throughout my visit) visited the Methodist Girls High School (3000 pupils) that had suffered huge damage from the theft of windows, fittings, furniture, toilets. Everything and I mean everything that could be taken was removed during the school holidays. Only walls, some of the ceilings and floors, remained. It was a tragic, but workmen were in place plastering and painting. Neither the government nor the church has money to replace and rebuild. The Principal planned to open on Monday, but with no desks or chairs, only walls, floors and a roof with holes in. They have no money to buy equipment, let alone books. Free education is on offer by the government but children are expected to wear uniforms, and provide their own books and writing materials. A new government scheme for girls, in the first two years of secondary school, is to provide this uniform and books. This is an effort to discourage early marriage (11-15 year olds are often given into marriage), but has meant a huge increase in numbers. One class had 145 pupils for one teacher! The Mission is booklet and posters created great interest from the Principal of the theological college that has links with Cliff College. Bo The visit to Bo, the second city over five hours drive from Freetown, centred on the Youth Development Centre, sponsored by Christian Aid. This centre provides youth skills training in computers, AIDS, community development and provides a meeting place and games for the young people. Chris Bold (Methodist Special Partner who is nearing the end of his year there.) Next to the centre, The Jennifer-Gibson Pre-school was completed the week I was there. Chris and his team had just finished painting the walls. I met with the Women s fellowship in the Methodist Church where the women shared their stories and emphasised the support they are able to give to each other through various forms of ministry. Sunday is a very special day for them to be spent in worship celebrating God s care and goodness. Refugee Camps MCSL has been mainly involved in working on skills training programmes at two Liberian refugee camps at Jembe and Gerihun. We attended the graduation
ceremony where men and women received their certificates for tie-dying, soap making, bread making and carpentry. Due to an agreement signed on Monday, 4 October 2004, these certificates will be recognised in Liberia and will provide the start to a means of income when the refugees begin to return later in October. They have spent 8 years in Sierra Leone, living in the refugee camps. I had an insight as to how the people I was to meet later, who had returned from their own camps in Guinea, must have lived and felt. The Bumunbu Printing Press in Bo and the Tikonko Agricultural Centre were prime examples of work that had once been viable concerns, providing resources for the country but were now in ruin. Both were in desperate need of funds to rebuild in some way. Tikonko This village was razed to the ground by the rebels. Only a few houses remained when families began returning two years ago. Some new houses have been built amongst the ruins. Only one manse (of two) remains, one school building (of four). All need to be rebuilt. The Methodist Church that is to host a four day synod in March has bats in the roof, pews riddled with bullet holes and no toilets. Another manse needs to be built as well as the school buildings. There are over two hundred children wanting to attend school in one damaged building, which is unsafe. So the children meet outside when possible and attend in shifts. Kenema I was able to preach in the Sydney Groves Methodist Church on Sunday with Revd Koker, who led the service. I was given a warm welcome, told the story of the eagle and the chicken to the children and created lots of smiles as I attempted to announce a hymn in the Mende language. I spoke about John 15 and used the AIDS poster to talk about being the body of Christ. Worship was conducted from the old service book, only one hymn from the MHB, the rest being Mende songs. The service was shared later on Kenema local radio, apparently the sermon was repeated more or less word perfect. I then talked with the Women s fellowship focussing on mission and AIDS. Eastern Polytechnic, Kenema This is now the primary training college for teachers in Sierra Leone, supported by the Methodist Church. The Women s Fellowship has pushed for the college to allow them to build a chapel in the grounds. Many of these women are displaced persons, who have no villages to return to and decided to stay in Kenema. They are a vibrant group meeting each day at 5.30am for prayer, and are all looking for income generating schemes. Segbwema The Circuit Superintendent has been asked to leave his house in the grounds of Nixon Hospital, as his house will be needed soon as nurses may soon be returning to the hospital. No other manses remain for him, his family that
comprises his wife and three young children. The other circuit minister is also without a manse. The Methodist Church membership consists largely of those who returned one year ago from refugee camps in Guinea. Most of the women are widows and desperately need to begin income generating projects, including needing seed for rice and other crops and the necessary funds to buy soap making and tie die materials. They are hoping to make a link with a Methodist Church in this country. (If you can help in this way please contact the Mission Education Office). Nixon Hospital has a resident doctor, a nurse and a pharmacist. A new outpatient s building is nearly complete, as is a male, a female and a children s ward. No water connected yet, but electricity wires have been put in place. Electricity supply is very limited run by a very small generator. The schools in the area were all but destroyed and are being rebuilt. One secondary school must meet in the grounds of the primary school very cramped conditions. I was able to participate in two English lessons. Bunumbu College, one and a half hour s drive east on bumpy roads, was the rebel stronghold. It was the training centre for most teachers and the majority of current Methodist ministers. It stands a desolate place that the jungle has taken over. Trees, creepers and vines grow where lecture rooms or student accommodation should be. A silence filled the place as if the very stones were in mourning. The Circuit Superintendent has 2000 members to look after alone. His is the only manse in this vast far-flung region. He has been helped by the gift of a Honda motorcycle that enables him to visit the congregations more often. The roads in this area are very dangerous as they are full of potholes and many of the drivers do not drive with due care and consideration for others. Ministers are, in general, reluctant to move away from Freetown and cannot, as there are no manses or houses available. Issues Women s fellowship groups in several churches are looking to form links with churches in Britain. We talked, and shared together about past and present experiences and I gradually began to understand a little of the culture that has enabled people to enjoy life in the midst of an uncertain future. I was told, We talk about things once, get support from our friends in church, then move on. We accept that we can not change the past and so get on with life. And on AIDS. We know our husbands have other women and may be HIV+ but we can do nothing, so we accept and move on. I was stunned at words such as these that I heard every day and whilst I was able to listen, I had no answers, only more questions. Is this acceptance a way of expressing a Christian faith or a way of coping with uncertain and often violent past and possible uncertain future?
Education Methodist schools are desperately in need of rehabilitation most have no equipment, only tables, benches and blackboards. They need building and painting. Teacher s pay is small and many are leaving to work for the NGO s, who pay more. Schools have to run two shifts, 8.30 12.30 and 12.45-6.00, to cope with the numbers of children. Classes range from 50 145. Schools are looking for links with Methodist schools in this country. A list is available from Mission Education. AIDS Posters, promoting care and protection messages, are everywhere, but in general, people need to be encouraged to talk openly the Sierra Leonean culture means that people need to hear about the issues, many, many times for true understanding to develop. The Body of Christ AIDS poster I took with me was an effective way to begin the discussions and the Rt. Revd Francis Nabieu has requested that we send enough for one to be placed in each church. He is encouraging ministers to begin talking and thinking theologically, but faces opposition from his own people. There is a big problem that people have not seen very many, or indeed any, die of AIDS and therefore do not really believe in its existence although government signs are everywhere, warning and instructing about not sharing blades (to cut hair) or needles, and to practice safe sex by using a condom. (Since my return there has been a request for more posters as Francis and the development officer were able to meet with government officials to promote conversations about AIDS. Also the women have been greatly encouraged to speak out.) Support Many international agencies and NGO s are working in the rebuilding of Sierra Leone and in the Methodist Church there is great interest in the work, particularly at Segbwema. However, the question remains as to what is the best approach for the Methodist Church in Britain to take, working with the Methodist Church in Sierra Leone. The strategy welcomed by the President is to first build manses in the eastern province. No other agency is going to fund the building of manses and as MCSL is seen as a service provider (it has money of its own) any other means of funding is not readily given. This was seen in the latest round of government support for the rehabilitation of school buildings. Funding was only allocated to one of the Methodist schools in the whole country. MCSL has land but needs funding and people with skills in project management and leadership to develop projects using their own initiative. This is a very big problem as no one wants to take the lead or the responsibility as many leaders were deliberately targeted during the war years and most do not wish to be future targets. In a culture that accepts each day as it comes it is also very difficult to plan for the future and look at the big picture. There is so much that needs to be done. One idea for MCSL is an income-generating scheme to build two guest houses and skills training centres in Freetown, or Bo and Kenema. As travel, and demands for somewhere to stay, increases, these could be exciting ventures.
The links with the British Methodist Church and Methodist Missionary Society in MMS Ireland are valued enormously. MMS Ireland had sent a container full of supplies for Nixon hospital, which was waiting at the docks to be released. Further discussions are needed between MMS Ireland and MCSL for the best way to develop this ministry that will meet the needs of all. It was suggested that due to difficulties in transport, cost of transporting good to the churches, maintenance of machinery and obtaining spare parts it is sometimes better to send funds that would contribute to the local economy by facilitating the purchase of equipment in Sierra Leone itself. I believe that the greatest gift the British Methodist Church can give the Methodist Church in Sierra Leone is that of time. Time to heal the hurts, to come to terms with what has happened, to rebuild. Time to rediscover for themselves their identity as a particular people of God. Time to seek their own way forward, without pressure from others Time for us to join together in prayerful support and encouragement. A final comment from Rt Revd Nabieu While NGOs come and go, The Methodist Church is here to stay! Susan Johnson Mission Education Co-ordinator October 2004